Many filmmakers, even the most talented, undertake uncredited script doctoring to gain industry footholds and generate income. This practice, often carried out behind the scenes, involves rewriting or enhancing existing scripts, sometimes radically altering the tone or content. One surprising instance involves filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson and the 2001 mafia comedy Corky Romano, a fact revealed by former Saturday Night Live cast member Chris Kattan. This connection is curious, but given Anderson’s scope of work, it is not entirely outside his range.
The term “Paul Thomas Anderson rewrite” now extends to this odd collaboration on Corky Romano, which starred Chris Kattan in the titular role. The film follows a veterinarian coerced by his crime family to infiltrate the FBI and retrieve incriminating evidence on his father. Despite its comedic premise, the movie was critically panned, contrasting sharply with Anderson’s acclaimed filmmaking reputation. Still, Anderson’s involvement shines a light on Hollywood‘s script doctoring tradition, which allows directors and writers to work anonymously on projects that do not align with their usual style.
Scope and Impact of Script Doctoring in Hollywood
Script doctors can be tasked with evolving a script from minor adjustments to full rewrites. Notable figures such as Carrie Fisher, Joss Whedon, Frank Darabont, and Scott Frank built parts of their careers on this behind-the-scenes work. Even iconic films like The Godfather benefited from uncredited contributions, as seen by Robert Towne’s input. In a similar vein, Ridley Scott has mentioned Anderson’s rewrites on the project Napoleon, brought on at the request of star Joaquin Phoenix, who frequently collaborates with Anderson.
During the 1990s, Saturday Night Live nurtured many comedians who then transitioned into film roles often spun from their popular sketches. Chris Kattan, appearing on SNL from 1996 to 2003, found early success with characters like The Roxbury Guys, which led to a 1998 feature film. His next project, Corky Romano, was a broader comedy given a mafia backdrop that tasked Kattan with a lead role. Despite the film’s poor reception, Anderson’s reported uncredited assistance with the script adds an unexpected layer to its production history.
Details of Anderson’s Uncredited Help and Others’ Involvement
In his 2019 autobiography Baby Don’t Hurt Me, Chris Kattan revealed that Anderson, riding the wave of acclaim from movies like Boogie Nights and Magnolia, contributed rewrites to Corky Romano. Another known screenwriter, Richard LaGravenese, also allegedly worked to enhance the script of the film directed by Rob Pritts and officially written by David Garrett and Jason Ward. Kattan playfully remarked,
“If only I could tell every critic who gave Corky a bad review, ‘Oh yeah? Well, Paul Thomas Anderson helped write it, dickhead!’”
– Chris Kattan, Actor
Kattan noted that Anderson offered his help voluntarily, seemingly driven by passion or goodwill rather than career strategy. This unusual input, however, did little to improve the film’s reception or elevate its status within the crowded subgenre of mafia comedies, which includes films like Jane Austen’s Mafia! and Analyze This. Though some films like Freddy Got Fingered have ascended to cult classic status partly due to their outlandish nature, Corky Romano lacks this distinctiveness, existing more as a puzzling oddity within early 2000s Hollywood comedy.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s Connections to Comedy and Saturday Night Live
Anderson has not publicly confirmed his role in revamping the Corky Romano script and, considering the movie’s legacy, may prefer to remain silent. Yet his engagement with comedy and Saturday Night Live performers aligns with other facets of his career. In 2000, he directed a short film for the SNL sketch series featuring Ben Affleck, signaling a less-known but genuine link to comedic material. He also helped develop Adam Sandler’s dramatic abilities in Punch-Drunk Love and has personal ties to the SNL family through his long-term relationship with Maya Rudolph, with whom he shares four children.
Anderson’s willingness to contribute to a quirky comedy like Corky Romano reflects an auteur unburdened by pretension, demonstrating openness to various genres. Despite directing some of the most acclaimed films over three decades, he appears unconcerned about the differences in quality or genre of his uncredited endeavors, including this notably bizarre mafia film.
Principal Cast and Characters in Corky Romano
The film featured Chris Kattan as the lead, Corky Romano, the hapless veterinarian turned mob informant. Vinessa Shaw played Agent Kate Russo, the FBI operative pursuing the case. Peter Falk portrayed Francis A. ‘Pops’ Romano, Corky’s father and crime family patriarch. Peter Berg appeared as Paulie Romano, a family member contributing to the comedic chaos around the central plot.
Significance of Anderson’s Unexpected Script Work
The revelation of Paul Thomas Anderson’s uncredited rewrite on Corky Romano highlights the complex and often hidden processes underlying Hollywood productions, particularly the pervasive practice of script doctoring. This insight challenges perceptions of filmmakers’ boundaries and artistic choices, revealing a side of the industry seldom acknowledged. Moreover, the story underscores the collaborative, sometimes chaotic creative environments at play even in critically dismissed projects. Whether this knowledge will revive interest in Corky Romano remains uncertain, but it certainly adds an intriguing footnote to Anderson’s multifaceted career and to film history.
